A dozen new gonorrhea cases in Maine for 2013

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Lisa Oldson, MD
Jan. 21, 2013

According to The Global Dispatch, Maine continues to be plagued by new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in 2013. Since January began, the New England state's health officials have already documented a dozen cases of gonorrhea.

Between Jan. 1 and Jan. 12, officials at the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded 12 new diagnoses of gonorrhea. While this figure is not as significant as the 21 instances recorded in the same time span in Jan. 2012, it remains a cause for concern. By comparison, the state had only two official diagnoses during the same period in 2011.

According to the National Institutes of Health, gonorrhea is an STD that tends to be found in warm and moist areas of the body, typically the genitals. A person who becomes infected with the STD may experience symptoms such as burning sensation while urinating, swollen genitals, increased need to urinate, discolored discharge from the penis or vagina and sore throat.

The CDC also reports that a new strain of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea has been recorded around the world, and the first cases found in North America have recently been detected. This super gonorrhea causing many public health officials to urge individuals to practice safer sex or abstinence to reduce the risk of spreading the disease.

Gonorrhea has proven to be a problem area for Maine, reports the Global Dispatch. In 2012, the state experienced 456 confirmed cases of the STD, which was a 60 percent increase from a year earlier.

If you're concerned about rising STD rates and want to learn more about safer sex practices, consider visiting an STD testing center in Maine.